This week was another of the NY Metropolitan Opera’s HD broadcasts. The day on the way to border was beautiful with snow-capped mountains from horizon to horizon. The performance of La Sonnambula put the view to shame. By the end of the day, I was ready to go back and see it again.

This may have been the perfect opera experience. Bellini’s music was beautiful, the casting and singing were spot-on, and the stagecraft (unlike some earlier operas) added to the impact of the scenes rather than fighting for attention with the performer. But the most amazing part is the director’s (Mary Zimmerman) re-imagining of this 19th century period piece transforms as it moves back and forth between the contemporary lovers and the opera within an opera.

It was a clever vehicle that added extra power to the performances as well as providing a means of carrying this story well into the future. No small feat for a story line that almost falls over into English farce (like a two-part episode of Frasier.)